Conversation on impact of Hurricane Rita Sept. 22
Lamar University, The Texas Tribune and The Beaumont Enterprise will host a free, open-to-the-public conversation marking the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Rita’s landfall on the Texas Gulf Coast and their forthcoming joint reporting project, The Road From Rita, at 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 22 at Lamar University in Beaumont.
The conversation will focus on lessons learned from Hurricane Rita, whether Texas is better prepared for such storms in its aftermath and the future of emergency management and mass evacuation plans in Texas. In addition to the conversation, storm survivors are invited to share video testimonials of their Rita experience on-site. Testimonials will be filmed from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 2 p.m. in the Setzer Center Conference Room (Room 133) and will be shared on the website for the Road From Rita project.
The panelists are State Rep. Joe Deshotel, former Jefferson County Judge Carl Griffith, Beaumont Fire Chief Brad Penisson, and Debbra Mamula, policy advisor to Lt.Gov. Dan Patrick and former executive vice president of the Texas Oil and Gas Association. Tribune Editor Emily Ramshaw will moderate the discussion.
The discussion will be followed by an audience Q&A session and will be livestreamed at texastribune.org/livestream, and a video will be available following the event.
General registration is open at http://www.texastribune.org/events/2015/09/22/the-road-from-hurricane-rita/. Registration is required.
The event will be held in the Setzer Center Ballroom, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Conversation begins at noon. Testimonials will be filmed from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 2 p.m.
The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. Learn more at texastribune.org.
